15 killed in unseasonal rain, lightning in MP

Unseasonal rain accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning hit various parts of Madhya Pradesh, leaving 15 people dead and injuring some others, officials said on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath expressed grief over the deaths and took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his tweet on unseasonal rains, charging he was concerned only about his home state Gujarat.

According to officials, rains lashed some parts of the central state on Tuesday night, claiming three lives each in Indore, Dhar and Shajapur, two in Ratlam and one each in Alirajpur, Rajgarh, Sehore and Chhindwara districts.

Two minors in Dhar's Pipalla and Dahi villages died when they were struck by lightning, Superintendent of Police Birendra Singh said. A one-year-old child was killed and three others injured in a similar incident in Malpura village, he said.

Besides, three persons, including a teenage boy and a girl, were killed in Indore's Hatod area in lightning strike while they were standing under a tree, another police official said.

In Shajapur also, three persons were killed in separate incidents when thunderstorm and lightning hit them, an official at the district police control room said. In Ratlam district, a 13-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man were killed and another minor girl received serious injuries when lightning struck them, Additional Superintendent of Police Indrajeet Singh Bakliwar said.

In Sehore, a man died after a tree fell on him at a roadside in Ashta town. The victim had taken cover under the tree to protect himself from rain and thunderstorm, Superintendent of Police S S Chouhan said. In Alirajpur, an 18-year-old man was killed when lightning struck him at a forest area in Mapavat village, inspector P V Muvel said.

In Chhindwara, a 19-year-old man died and four children were injured when lightning struck them, Additional Superintendent of Police Shashank Garg said. Besides, a 65-year-old woman died in a similar incident in Padana village of Rajgarh, Sarangpur police station inspector Shailendra Mukati said.

Nath expressed grief over the deaths and charged that Modi's concerns were limited to his home state Gujarat. "Modiji, you are the PM of the country and not of Gujarat. In MP also, more than 10 persons were killed because of unseasonal rains, storm and lightning. But you have confined your feelings to Gujarat only. Though your party has no government here people live here also," Nath said in a tweet.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Modi expressed anguish over the loss of lives in various parts of Gujarat due to unseasonal rain. "Authorities are monitoring the situation very closely. All possible assistance is being given to those affected," he tweeted.

Later the prime minister said, "We stand in solidarity with all those affected due to unseasonal rainfall in various parts of the country."

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